New Hampshire Relgion News in Brief

The Congregational Church of Amherst, UCC will celebrate 50 years of music from its historic organ at the 10 a.m. worship service on Sunday, March 17.

"The Pipes are Calling" will feature the Chancel Choir, Voices of Creation, Youth and Junior Choirs, under the direction of Sara Phelps, the Handbell Choir, under the direction of Wendy Lazott, and music by organist Michael Havay.

The historic Johnson Tracker Organ used in the church was built in 1871 and has been housed in the church since 1963. It remains one of only 200 still in use today. There will be an opportunity to make a donation to assist with repairing and restoring the organ, which utilizes 1260 pipes that must be tuned individually.

The organ was first used by churches in Vermont and New York, before being moved to its current location in Amherst.

On March 24, Elijah's Table, a joint project of the Episcopal Church of the Transfiguration and Etz Hayim Synagogue, is sponsoring a free dinner, from 5 to 6:30 p.m.

The dinner, open to all, features eggplant Parmesan, pasta, veggies, dessert, and a few prizes. The atmosphere is warm and friendly, and all are welcome. For more information about Elijah's Table, and for a listing of other free meals in the Derry/Londonderry area, go to https://freemealsinderry.blogspot.com.

Etz Hayim Synagogue is at 1-1/2 Hood Road, Derry.

Holocaust Remembrance Day event next month

For the 6th consecutive year, the Winni Players will partner with Temple B'Nai Israel of Laconia to present a staged reading to commemorate Holocaust Remembrance Day.

On April 13 and 14 the Players are presenting Dan Gordon's Irena's Vow, a play about Irena Gut Opdyke, a young Catholic woman who saved 12 Jews by hiding them in the basement of a house lived in by a German officer. Each performance will be followed by a talkback where members of the cast and the audience can share thoughts on the play, the Holocaust, and the lessons relative to today's world.

Staged readings are performed by actors with scripts in hand with minimal blocking, props and costumes. The focus is on communicating the story.

As The Winnipesaukee Playhouse awaits the opening of its new home in Meredith on Reservoir Road, the staged reading will be held at two new venues. On Saturday April 13, at 7 p.m., and Sunday, April 14, at 2 p.m., the reading will be performed at the Congregational Church of Laconia, in downtown Laconia. On Sunday, April 14, at 7 p.m., the cast will present an additional performance at Temple Adath Yeshurun in Manchester.

Reservations are not required and admission is free. A $5 per person or more donation is appreciated and can be done through the Playhouse's website, winniplayhouse.org/annual-fund.html. Please note: Irena's Vow may not be appropriate for children and is recommended for teens and adults.